WCDH 2026 is co-organised by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and the International Academy for Design and Health.
Kuching has won the bid to host the 15th World Congress and Exhibition on Design and Health (WCDH) in 2026.
More than 1,000 delegates from around the world, including thought leaders, researchers, and practitioners, are expected to attend the event to discuss strategies and projects that prioritise healthy living environments.
Taking place from 29 September to 2 October, the event includes a three-day conference, a pre-congress symposium, gala awards and study visits to local healthcare facilities. The 2026 event will be themed around 'Shaping Future Health Society: Designing for Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour, Equity and Sustainability’.
WCDH 2026 is co-organised by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and the International Academy for Design and Health, and is organised in partnership with governments around the world and leading professional bodies, academic institutions, health providers and industry.
The Hon. Datuk Amar Prof. Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak, said: “This objective resonates with Sarawak’s ambitions to advance health-focused events that foster sustainable environments and economic development under the WHO Healthy City initiatives and Post-Covid Development Strategy 2030."
The event was first hosted in 1997 in Norway and has since travelled to another 14 countries in support of national Ministries of Health, influencing the design development and capital investment of healthcare infrastructure worldwide.